Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

Siddha/Tamil ◮ Karisalaankanni.
Folk ◮ Bhangaraa.
Action ◮ Deobstruent, antihepatotoxic,
anticatarrhal, febrifuge. Used
in hepatitis, spleen enlargements,
chronic skin diseases. Leaf—promotes
hair growth. Its extract in oil
is applied to scalp before bed time
in insomnia. The herb is also used
as an ingredient in shampoos.
Key application ◮ As hepatoprotective.
(Indian Herbal Pharmacopoeia;
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of
India.)
The herb should be dried at room
temperature under shade. Its active
principles are lost due to aerial oxidation
during sun drying or drying under
reduced pressure below 40°C. The herb
contains wedelolactone and demethylwedelolactone,
which showed a dosedependenteffectagainstCCl4,d-galactosamine-
or phalloidin-induced cytotoxicity
in primary cultured rat hepatocytes,
and exhibited potent antihepatotoxic
property. The whole plant
shows effect on liver cell regeneration.
Immunoactive property has been observed
against surface antigen of hepatitis
B-virus. The plant is also reported
to be effective in the treatment of peptic
ulcer, inflammatory diseases, including
rheumatoid arthritis, diseases of
the gallbladder and skin infections.
Aqueous extract of leaves exhibits
myocardial depressant and hypotensive
activity (unrelated to cholinergic
and histaminergic effects).
The roots are very rich in thiophene
acetylenes. Thiophene derivatives
show activity against nematodes.
Ehretia laevis Roxb. var. aspera (Willd.) C.B. Clarke. 231
Dosage ◮ Whole plant—3–6 ml fresh
juice; 13–36 g for decoction. (API
Vol. II.)
Ehretia buxifolia Roxb.
Synonym ◮ Carmona microphylla
(Lam.) G. Don.
Family ◮ Ehrethiaceae.
Habitat ◮ Commonindryscrub
forests of the Deccan Peninsula.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Kuruvingi, Kattuvettilai.
Folk ◮ Pala.
Action ◮ Root—alterative in cachexia
and syphilis; an antidote to vegetable
poisoning. Dried leaves—pectic
and stomachic.
The plant contains microphyllone.
EtOH (50%) extract of aerial parts
showed low anti-inflammatory and
cardiovascular activities.
Ehretia laevis Roxb. var.
aspera (Willd.) C.B. Clarke.
Synonym ◮ E. aspera Willd.
E. obtusifolia Hochst. ex DC.
Family ◮ Ehretiaceae.
Habitat ◮ Throughout India, also
grown along roadsides.
Ayurvedic ◮ Charmi-vrksha.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Addula.
Folk ◮ Chamror (Punjab). Kuptaa,
Datarangi (Maharashtra.)
E